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Colin Kaepernick is adopted, but that’s just a technicality for the 49ers quarterback who regards his adoptive family as every bit a part of his biology. But now, his birth mother is speaking out about her desire to form a bond with the son she gave up for adoption 25 years ago.

“I watch him now and I see how happy he is and I’m thrilled for him,” said Russo, who said “I have to respect” his decision not to meet.

Yet she holds on to hope. “You can see that everything he wants and everything he has worked for is coming together,” she said. “That’s something that any parent would be happy to see for their child.”

Russo was 19 when Kaepernick was born and now works as a registered nurse in a suburb of Denver. This isn’t the first time she’s tried to reach out to Kaepernick; when he was a star at Nevada, she admitted to attending his games there, and she tweets at him often:

Tough one Colin @kaepernick7! Keep your head up and keep working hard!

The Chronicle contacted a 49ers spokesman who confirmed that Russo is Kaepernick’s biological mother according to Kaepernick’s agent. Kaepernick is due to speak later today, although it is unclear whether or not he will answer questions about the article.

Kaepernick makes no secret of his close bond with his adoptive family. Just yesterday, he posted a birthday message for his sister.